The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints each got absolutely slammed with a $500,000 fine from the NFL, all because things went totally off the rails during their joint practice on Tuesday. The league dropped the hammer on Thursday, pointing directly at repeated fights between players that clearly raised red flags for player safety and just plain sportsmanship. This ain’t pocket change, folks.
Brawls Everywhere and the League Said “Enough”
Dude, seriously. This wasn’t just some little scuffle. An NFL spokesperson confirmed that every single team got a memo *before* training camp even kicked off, reminding organizations they’re responsible for keeping unsportsmanlike conduct out of joint practices, especially stuff that could get guys hurt. But Tuesday, tempers flared on *both* practice fields when the Cowboys and Saints were going offense-versus-defense. Reports say punches were thrown in multiple incidents. Can you believe it? They had to halt practice several times because players from both sidelines were rushing in to join the chaos. This whole thing is part of a wild trend too, as Thursday marked the fourth straight day of joint NFL practices featuring fights or heated confrontations.
Jerry Jones: “Stiff Fine” But We’re Appealing
You know Jerry Jones isn’t one to shy away from a fight, and he’s not taking this half-million-dollar hit lying down. He called the punishment a “stiff” fine, but he also confirmed the Cowboys are already planning to challenge the league’s decision through the appeals process. Jones made it clear, saying, “The fine does make the point that it’s a serious matter and it starts with everybody at all levels of a club.” He added that “it really emphasizes the league’s intent to control it from the very top, which when they start dealing out those kinds of fines, they get your attention.” He’s not wrong there; a $500K slap definitely grabs your attention.
Jones even admitted that practices can get out of control super fast because there are fewer immediate consequences compared to actual games. “This game is physical and it’s easy to get involved with aggressive temperaments,” he explained. He said taking off helmets and swinging is “not good for anybody” and “certainly not what we want to represent to our fans as a league or as a team.” That’s fair, dude. On top of the team fine, Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, who started nine games in his rookie season and had two sacks, is also expected to get hit with an individual fine for his involvement.
This whole situation just highlights how serious the league is getting about player safety, even in practice. With that appeal coming up, it’ll be wild to see if Jerry can shave a penny off that half-million, or if the NFL sends an even stronger message. You gotta wonder if this fine stops the practice brawls league-wide. Probably not, but man, it sure gets your attention!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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